Raja Beta: Is a word used to describe a boy in India. Raja means king and beta means son. So Raja Beta Literally means My Son is Like a King to me.

Not surprisingly there is no such word to describe a daughter in traditional Indian Folklore

Also, the tradition described in the poem is that of ‘DOODH PITI’ in which a newly born girl child is immersed in hot milk to kill her. This was an accepted tradition in Many parts of India. Though it is not that prevalent now.

In 2007, CRY (Child Rights and You) the international organization that works for the rights of children world wide, reported that of the 12 million girls that are born in India every year, about 3 million will die before the age of 15. In other worlds 1 in every 4 girls born in India will not make it past puberty.

For more information on this tradition, you could visit the following websites: